Deputy Fired After Arrest

A Broward Sheriff`s Office deputy was arrested Thursday after a search of his residence turned up drugs, stolen property and pornographic films, according to authorities.

Leon Salvatore Jr., a seven-year veteran assigned to Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood International Airport, was fired by Sheriff Nick Navarro shortly after the arrest.

Salvatore, a former Hallandale police officer, was charged with grand theft and seven counts involving possession of illegal drugs and stolen property. He later was released on $8,000 bail.

Salvatore, 37, drew the attention of his superiors, according to authorities, after several airport employees complained that he tricked them into looking at photographs he claimed were pictures of his ``birthday party.``

The photographs actually showed the body of a woman who was fished out of a canal off U.S. 27 in December 1978.

Sgt. Brett Sagenkahn said Salvatore, a photography buff, turned over the pictures and claimed he made the photographs himself for ``educational purposes.``

Investigators said they later obtained a search warrant for Salvatore`s home in Pembroke Pines to determine if there were any evidence linking him to the murdered woman.

Salvatore was cleared of any involvement in the murder, authorities said, but officers found a police radio stolen from Davie police, a small amount of marijuana, pills, sexually explicit materials, and property belonging to the department`s BATmobile program.